Dementia more common in older African-Caribbean people, study shows

Embargoed until 09 June 2011

A UK-study shows dementia is more common in older African-Caribbean
people than in White people – and tends to affect African-Caribbean
people at a younger age. The
study, published online today by the British Journal of
Psychiatry, is the largest study of dementia in the UK
African-Caribbean population to date.

Researchers from UCL (University College
London) studied 436 people over the age of 60 living in the north
London borough of Haringey. Of these, 218 had migrated to the UK
from a Caribbean island or Guyana. The remaining 218 participants
were White and had been born in the UK.

All the study participants were screened to
test if they showed signs of cognitive impairment. Those that did
were invited for a longer interview, to see if they met the full
diagnostic criteria for dementia.

The researchers found that the prevalence of
dementia was significantly higher in the African-Caribbean group
than the White group, when corrected for age and socioeconomic
status. 9.6% of the people in the African-Caribbean Group (21 out
of 218) were diagnosed with dementia, compared to only 6.9% (15 out
of 218) of people in the White group. In addition, those
African-Caribbean people who had dementia were nearly 8 years
younger than those from the White group (they had a mean age of
79.1 years compared to 86.9 years).

The most common type of dementia among the
participants was Alzheimer’s disease, which was diagnosed in 69%
(25 out of the 36). 28% (10 out of the 36) had vascular dementia.
Of the 10 people with vascular dementia, 9 were from the
African-Caribbean population.

Lead researcher Dr Simon Adelman said: “Our
study shows there is an increased prevalence of dementia in older
people of African-Caribbean country of birth who are living in the
UK. It also suggests that dementia affects African-Caribbean people
at younger ages.”

Dr Adelman points out that their study does
not explain why rates of dementia are higher in African-Caribbean
people – further research is needed to investigate the risk
factors. However, he believes the study does have important
implications for how we provide care for people with dementia.

Dr Adelman said: “Older Black people in the UK
are generally first-generation immigrants, and the largest of these
groups are people of African-Caribbean descent. For the first time,
many of this group have now reached retirement age. Healthcare
staff working in both primary and secondary care need to be aware
than dementia may occur more commonly, and at younger ages, in
African-Caribbean people than White people. Our study also supports
the move towards providing health and social care services based on
people’s needs – not just on their age.”